What are "Families" in SL?

I see mention of this in people's profiles sometimes. I genuinely don't know whether they are:

1. An RL family all playing SL;
2. Some sort of powerful SL mafia;
3. Some sort of imaginary and inconsequential SL mafia;
4. A group to bring together people who like poseballs and incest....?

Does anyone know?

#3, mostly.

All of the above.


Some people are capable of building strong bonds in SL, lets not throw stones.

Not throwing any stones.

Most of them ARE imaginary and inconsequential. I don't know of any real families who play together under the name "family", no SL-mafia has any power, and 4 was a wildcard. So, hence, #3, mostly. There are some that are great friends. I know this. But my comment still stands.

All, really? I was so hoping #4 wouldn't be involved!

As far as #4 goes ..

Although I dont really agree with some of the terms used by some people in Poly situations .. for example I myself think using "sister" rather then lover is unusual. The terms themselves do not make it incest. Neither does calling a group a family mean by definition any sexual relationships inside of the group are incestuous.

There are certainly "family" units in SL that don't practice incest..

Many family-type arrangments exsist, with mothers, fathers, daughters and sons, etc. Of course it's imaginary, and roleplaying, but brings a certain definement of behavior and emotional response as well as an added closeness.

Also, number 3 is a big one as far as folks going with the "Family" title. And of course the mafias are roleplaying and make believe, and have no power beyond the individual in the RL. Kinda like every other roleplaying aspect of online communities.

In the case of the Group Fae Folk we are one big RL family spread across 2 Countrys who all meet here to play, create, and enjoy each other.

Sounds like mix and match in here like most things.

I'm part of a "family" created by loves and friendships from before SL and augmented by folks we've met since being in here.

It could be expressed in many ways:
A polyamorous relationship
2 dominants and a submissive
2 mommies, 1 uncle and a cute kid (my partner and I adopted-enter roleplay aspect-someone who does kiddie av 24/7)
A family creatively expressed within the SL medium

You never know what you can find in here. Where you can extend and/or enhance RL relationships, create new and interesting bondings, emulate and/or roleplay situations and relationships from RL or your imagination.

I have two familys in SL...

The Disfunctionals/Sloots, most of us live on Slootsville, we are just a big group of extra close friends, that would call ourselves a family in RL if we could, It is true that I haven't met alot of them in RL, as they are in the US etc... I have, however, met up with my twin sis Willow C and we got very drunk indeed and had a blast ...

I also have my Maracas-Knox family whom I adore, Mom, is always there to help out, she loves us like her own , and I have some of the coolest and most creative siblings out there, and again, If I could have these ppl for RL family, I so would...

There alot of other types of familys out there, mafia etc, but ours are just close friends, who given a chance would be family

They're role playing Dave. They're all roleplaying.

willow is also part of the wonderful family i started back when i had no life and rl family sucked so i wanted to make up one iw that i could love the way i thought it should be in rl...i have a large amount of "chillins" now and i would do anythin for em

maybe i need to get a family group started with myself, rl hubby, 3 sisters 2 bro in laws and my mom. we got a SL monopoly started me things? lol maybe not just an idea of course. hey do we get a prize for that? or are we beat? let me know im intrested in finding out ..

Wow had to throw Mafia into that one right? LOL....typical. The way I see it Mafia isn't the only group that calls themselfs "Family". If you look up "Family" in the search engine in groups you'll find all kinds of families. And not all are Mafia. Let's see you have: Furries, Vampire Empire, Homested Families, hell you could even call Lindens a family. You don't have to be a Mafia to be labeled a family. And yes it is all roleplaying. But then again SL is a roleplaying game isn't it?

In my opionion a family in SL is a group of people whose bond is tight like a family. I look at my best friend as my sister in SL for the simple fact that our friendship is just that tight. The Mafia family I am apart of I look at like my family becasue they love and protect me just as my RL family does. Only in game I have the father, sisters and grandparents that I lack in RL. And even thought it may not make sense to you, it does to me.

And please....lets not turn this into another Mafia bash fest. Casue I can see this thread turning into one. *sighs*

That's so cool!